A Little Bit of Grief
by dobbydiedahero
Summary: What if Cal looked more closely and saw Rose in the third class section? What would Rose do?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Titanic the 1997 movie in anyway. It all came from James Cameron.

AN: This is if Rose would be found by Cal in the Carpathia. Scene is when Cal went looking for Rose in the Carpathia.

A Little Bit of Grief

"Rose? Is that you?" He said, quite disgusted. The girl did not move. Caledon Hockley decided to shake her a bit.  
"Rose!" he said a little louder.  
No response.

Cal couldn't believe he was going to do this but Rose seemed not to notice anyone or anything for that fact. He was in the third class quarters, none of his actions would matter.  
He spun around preaparing to leave then spun again almost instantly and inched forward Rose a little to close. Close enough to feel her slow breathing, to smell her salt sea smelling hair and to touch her flawless face. But he didnt. He just stayed that way for a moment that  
made him feel, what was the word? Happy, perhaps. Rose seemed to stir.

Then without warning she slapped him hard across the face. He seemed  
to be taken aback but chose to ignore it for the meantime.

"Rose, are you alright? My dear, I hate to say but you look a fright!" he said softly.  
"What are you doing here Cal?" she replied sharply. "I know you're only here because of the diamond. Well, here. Take it." she shoved her hand in the pocket of the coat and out came a sparkling blue diamond. Cal held it in his hands. He almost forgot about it. He just wanted to see how Rose is. He handed it back to her.  
"Here, Rose." he said. "Take it. It's my engagement gift for you remember?"  
"Dont get sweet with me Cal. This is not the life I want. I want to be with Jack! Not you!" her words stung but she wasn't even done. "I would never marry you! You are vile and wicked! You wouldn't save anyone, you even wanted me along with others dead just so you could be saved! How can you even pretend that didnt happen? How dare you come here in front of me?"  
"Rose," he whispered. "That's not true. You know I only shot bullets because of the man and not you. I was just shocked by everything. I never would want you dead. It was just, a matter of impulse."

"You liar." she snapped. The voice she had was failing her. She started to tremble and tear up. "Jack's gone. But even though, I'll never marry you and you'd want me dead. Am I right?"  
"No Rose. You don't have a choice. Invitations are sent out. Your mother's hysterical. The wedding will push through. Once the ship docks, you'll be getting off with me."  
Rose slapped his face once more

"Shut up!" she screamed.  
People took no notice of them. They were too wrapped up in their own problems and grief.  
Cal held her hand tightly

"Be a good girl Rose. I'm all you have." He grinned. Happy at the way things turned out.  
"I may marry you Cal, but Jack still owns me. And you'll never do."

Cal tightened his grip on her. Rose was losing her breath. She tried to stop the tears falling on her face until she lied down and just let the tears flow. She hasn't slept since the ship came from Titanic, the nurses said. Cal carried Rose to the first class quarters in their  
rooms. And lay her on the bed. He stood there gazing at his lovely soon to be wife and went out to inform his people Rose has been found.


	2. Chapter 2

Rose awoke the moment the ship docked. She noticed the fancy embellishments, the extravagant decorations of the large room and knew immediatey she was in the first class part of the ship. What happened? She could hardly remember. The door opened and a maid came bringing in clothes.  
"Here, miss, change into these. I'll come when you're done."  
Rose took the clothes and changed into them most messily. 'Who cares?' She thought. People made all the noise about getting off the ship, she could hear them all the way from her room. Rose was still in a daze. She could hardly concentrate on anything. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts. A huge jumble of thoughts.

Cal walked in the door to his quarters shared with his fiancé and entered without knocking.  
"Rose, how unexpected of you."  
He put his hand on her face.  
"You don't want people to think that you're a peasant right? You've got the world at your heels. You deserve better."  
"Maybe I don't." she replied.  
"Dont be silly. I'll leave you to fix how you look. People are waiting for us."  
"How do you know they will? Aren't they just relieved they survived?"  
Cal returned a few moments later.  
"Let's go now. The ship will be empty in a few minutes. I've already told the maids to leave the ship. Your mother is waiting for you very eagerly in the carriage."  
Cal offered his arm and Rose took it. It was the only logical thing to do for Rose.

"Rose!" her mother exclaimed. "I thought I almost lost you! We all did."  
"Dont worry mother. You did."  
Ruth eyed Rose closely. She didn't even look up. "Just sit in the dear, we'll talk later." Her mother glared.

"Is she awake?" Nathan Hockley inquired.  
"No father."  
"Must have been quite an experience on the ship." Said Nathan Hockley.  
"Indeed."  
"Even for you, Cal?" His father questioned. His son was always a queer one.  
"What do you mean father?" Cal's forehead creased.  
"Well, it must be strange for you. All that fear. You never had to worry about anything in your life!" He smirked.  
Cal's fists tightened.  
"So what are you saying?"  
Ruth could clearly see what everyone thought was a wonderful father and son relationship was actually strained, full of problems never tackled. Ruth stood up.  
"Excuse me, let me just check on Rose," they didn't even notice her leave.  
"Father, what are you trying to say?"  
"Son, it must have been strange seeing you so scared and helpless since you always seem so prepared. Why, I don't even remember seeing you scared your whole life. You almost seem heartless."  
"Mhmmm." Cal muttered.  
"What I fail to understand, Cal. If Rose was a woman and a first class passenger. Why is it she was found in the waters. I thought you all were supposed to be together? Didn't you get the suites?"  
"We all got separated." He answered a little too quickly. "Ruth went to the boats with Molly Brown and the other women when Rose went missing. Everything was so mixed up already that we all got separated, everyone kept on pushing each other of course and I tried to look for Rose but it was chaotic. Eventually, I had to go on a lifeboat and she was lucky when I saw her in the third class section!"  
"It's just like you Cal, leaving your fiancé amidst a tragedy." Nathan Hockley said in between bites of his toast.  
"I assure you father, I didn't."  
"I certainly hope so. I wouldn't tolerate my son to be an abusive, selfish husband, I sure wasn't. Your mother wouldn't like that."  
"Of course. Mother wouldn't."  
"Well, how about the diamond? What has happened to it?" He saw his son's lingering look. The older Hockley frowned. "Well, I have to leave. I have a business meeting. Cal, you better stay and take care of your fiancé. When I return later, I hope you remember where you placed it. That thing cost me a fortune."  
"Well, I'd appreciate it father if you'd let me think first. Your son just survived a tragedy and that's all you think of."  
"Money." Nathan Hockley said. "Don't you always think about it too?" And he left.  
Ruth came back at the right time, seeing the owner of the house gone, she decided she had to get going. "I have to go check on the wedding planning. Someone has to take care of the hotel arrangements for the reception. I'll be seeing you later."  
"Goodbye Ruth."

Cal rose from his seat and went to his room. He and Rose were alone now, aside from the servants. He wished she was awake, he wanted to discuss things with her especially about that filth of a man, Dawson. Was he dead even?  
Well he must be. Why on earth would she be so down and lifeless? Well, it was possible he was just missing. The door made a screeching sound. Rose opened her eyes.  
"Milly, would you leave us first." Cal said.  
"Of course sir."  
Cal sat beside Rose. "How are you feeling dear?"  
"Why am I here?" She muttered.  
"This will be your new home Rose."  
"Not yet Cal. We aren't married yet."  
She fidgeted against his touch and stood up, only to fall back to the bed.  
"You have a few days to regain your strength dear then we'd have the wedding. You may not remember," he laughed. "but you threatened to leave awhile ago. You went down the car in the middle of a street but you fell before you could even take two steps. Quite embarrassing." He paused for awhile. "It's just you and me in this house, Rose. You think it would be a good time to tell me?"  
"Tell you what?" She spat.  
"Well, you could start with the man then, if you're being so hard on this."  
"Cal, couldnt you even give me a break. I just woke up." Rose moaned.  
"You've had your break darling. I've waited long enough. You're lucky I even accepted you back here. If I were in the right mind, I'd have left you to die in that ship."  
"You did. You got out Lovejoy's gun and tried to shoot me. Oh you don't remember? It's really a good thing Jack was there or else I would have died from your bullet you bastard."  
"Ja-Ja-Jack!" Cal muttered back, his voice slowly escalating. "Jack, Jack, Jack! I risked my life to save you! I already had a boat with me, TWO TIMES I COULD HAVE ESCAPED EARLIER! Bu-but what did I do? I WENT BACK TO SAVE YOU!" He was getting violent. Rose brought her knees to her chest, wrapping herself in an invisible protective layer.  
"I could already have been saved but what did I do? I ran after you and that's what you're going to repay me with!?" He shouted.  
"What are you gonna do Cal?" She managed to muster up despite her fear. "Are you gonna hit me again? Go ahead!"  
"I OUGHT TO!" He screamed, his hand stopped just an inch before his fiancé's tender face. Seeing his hesitation, Rose said, "What can I do? I don't love you. I hate you, I despise you, I abhor you!" She fearlessly said. What was the use anyway? She wasn't living her life for herself, what's the use of being afraid for her safety?  
"I don't care. You can hit me, I don't care. You can marry me, I won't care. You wanna know why? It's because I don't care a single thing about you." Cal could feel his blood rising to his head. What was worse? To know all along the woman he loves hates him or hear it from her own mouth? He slammed his fists on the wall just beside Rose. That's the best he could do. He couldn't touch her. He wouldn't. Shouting and screaming, he threw and smashed everything in his way including the precious vases, the glass cabinets, the important figurines that decorated his enormous room. Like it were just pieces of paper, the large canvases splattered with paint flew across the room over the broken shards of glass that covered his carpet. Rose closed her eyes, trying to make the sounds disappear.  
"For goodness sake Rose!" He shouted. "I didn't want to hit you. You made me do it!"  
Taken aback, Rose screamed, "I never begged you to slap me!"  
"It's a common action." Cal said, cooling down. "I see my fiancé hollering about in the steerage with this man, what do you want me to do? You took your clothes off in front of him and what else, I dare say. What do you expect me to do? Laugh? Because if you want me to laugh, I will. This situation is so hopeless! I have never been so mad, so angry, so humiliated!" Cal paused. "Never been so hurt like this, Rose!" Cal walked away and slammed the door behind him leaving Rose who wiped a tear before it fell from her eye.

-

"What happened here, miss?" The maid gasped. She came up when she heard the door slam close.  
"Milly, help me get dressed. How long have I been here?"  
"Miss, only this morning. We all arrived here with you about 4 hours past."  
"Please pack up everything that is mine and my mother's, yours too, we're leaving."  
"But Madam's order is for me to ensure you stay here!"  
"Milly! Please! You're my maid, follow me."  
"Won't you inform Mr. Hockley?"  
"No, also please ask someone to immediately clean this place once we've left."  
"Right away, miss."  
"Rose?" Ruth greeted the sight of her daughter with her maid coming down the stairs of the grand Hockley estate.  
"Mother! You're just in time! Let's go, your things are already here."  
"What on earth are you doing Rose?" Her mother said sternly.  
"Mother, Cal told me we could go first. To our home before the wedding!"  
"Milly?"  
The maid nodded, not knowing what else to do.  
"Well, we have to inform the Nathan Hockley first that we're leaving otherwise he may think us rude."  
"Cal already told him mother. I want to go home."  
"Well, you're certainly being agreeable now, Rose." Ruth said as she boarded the car back to the deWitt Bukater house.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Cal's mad from the last chapter and Rose realizes something.

Chapter 4

"Has Cal checked in on you yet dear?" Ruth asked, looking through her expensive dresses that she wouldn't have to sell anymore, thanks to Cal.  
"No?" Came the brief answer.  
"How strange. Oh well, have you finished your packing? You'd be bringing all your things with you to your new house. If I have to remind you, the wedding's in-"  
"Yes, I know." Rose interrupted. "Two days."  
"Two days." Ruth repeated.  
"Mother, how is it you can live here all alone?"  
Startled, Ruth looked at her daughter. "Whatever do you mean, Rose?"  
"I'm getting married to Cal to secure our finances, for us to have this house, and that means me moving in with him. You're going to live in this big house all on your own?"  
"Nonsense dear. We have the maids, the gardeners, and other servants."  
"No mother, you treat them as slaves. You're telling me you're living in this big house on your own. I can't leave you!"  
"Are you trying to worm out of your engagement with Mr. Hockley?"  
Rose rolled her eyes. "Oh mother. I'm looking out for your safety. You want this arrangement so our things wouldn't have to be auctioned away. Why don't you just sell the house so we could afford to keep our things?"  
"You want me to sell the house? This is your father's house. It belongs to us!"  
"When the time comes this goes to me! I won't own it either way mother! I would be a Hockley by then!"  
"So you want to sell this house? Sell all our memories?"  
"That's not what I was saying."  
"Your marriage to Cal is our only escape, I have to stay here and live in our house. Otherwise who will?"  
"I will!"  
"With who, Rose? With who? Don't tell me you're holding your life back because of that Dawson boy!"  
Rose slouched back against the warm bed. Here she was with her future already arranged before her and no way out of any problem.  
"Why not convert this place into an orphanage in our name? It's big enough for a lot of people. Would you want to convert this to an orphanage mother?"  
"Before you get any more ideas, you better go over to Cal's and talk, he hasn't seen if you're alright has he? he must be busy right now so show him you care."  
"Did you love my father?" She abruptly said.  
Ruth glared at her daughter. "Of course I did. What kind of a silly question is that."  
"You married him because you loved him. I don't love Cal. I don't."  
Ruth's face wrinkled. Age was getting the best of her. "There is no choice dear. He's our only escape."  
"What about me? My life? I'm just throwing it all away?"  
"We've talked about this. Just go over to him now. Quickly."

-

Rose hurriedly went to the Hockley's company building. She had to admit, there was a part of her that wanted to know why Cal wasn't chasing after her. She knew it was a wrong thought of course, her heart still belonged to Jack. She knew she promised that to him but she couldn't help wonder. Reaching her fiancé's office, she pushed the door open.  
"Yes miss?" A pretty lady of about 40's greeted her.  
"Oh, I was looking for Mr. Hockley? Is he inside?"  
"May I have your name?"  
"Rose deWitt Bukater."  
The lady blushed. "Oh! Miss Rose! Yes, his fiance! How could I forget?"  
Rose smiled. "It's not a problem. Is he in?"  
"Yes, he is."  
Rose opened yet another door to her fiance's actual office. It was a large, spacious thing, bigger even than a room in the third-class quarters she guessed.  
Cal didn't look up when she entered.  
"What is it Sally?" Rose did not answer. "You're wasting my time!" He looked up. Surprised to see his soon-to-be wife instead of his secretary, he stood up from his chair. "Rose? What are you doing here?" He didn't seem pleased.  
Rose cleared her throat. "I want to apologize when I suddenly left your house. Don't blame my mother, I told her you knew about this."  
Cal nodded. "Mhmm. Is that all?"  
Rose did not answer. Why was he so indifferent towards her and why did she care if he was.  
"Is that all?" He repeated.  
"Y-y-yes." She almost turned to leave but she turned around again. "About the marriage. I know it has to happen. And I'm telling you, I will be there."  
"You don't have to." He said, not looking up from his papers.  
"What do you mean?"  
"You hate me? Why would you spend your life with someone you hate?"  
"I don't understand." Cal pulled a piece of paper from his drawer. It was the official document of his marriage to her, to be signed on the same day as their wedding, yet above his name, his signature was already there.  
"You hate me? Don't come to the wedding. Cancel it, I don't care." He ripped the paper into pieces. Rose looked at him, dumbfounded.  
"I don't know what to say."  
"You don't have to say anything. Just leave my office."  
"Cal-"  
"I said leave."  
Her heart pounded. She was free from all the traps of society but what was she supposed to do even if she was. She suddenly realized what is it her mother was asking her to do, asking her to see. She had no other escape except for Cal. They would lose their fortune without Cal, they would lose everything. No one else would take a woman buried in debts to be his wife yet Cal would, she almost forgot he wanted to, he would take the risk for her.  
"Wait, Cal!" He ignored her. "Cal, please. Look at me." He raised his head and focused his eyes on her blankly.  
"Cal, I'm sorry for what I said but I'm asking to be married to you two days from now. Everything will still push through."  
"And why should I do that?"  
"We had an agreement! The invitations have been sent out!"  
"Frankly, I don't care. You want to live your life as a peasant? Go live it then. I don't care. I won't even mind you, I won't even talk about you. That's what you want right? Well, you have it."  
Rose trembled, more out of fear than humiliation. She didn't know what to do.  
"Cal! No, I want to marry you!" She flushed. Her promise to Jack- was it just nothing? "I'm s-sorry for everything but I do. I want to marry you."  
"You expect me to believe that? After everything you did? You think it would be that easy to get what you want?"  
"I'm not doing this for myself! Just- just-" She stuttered, unsure of what to say. "I need this. My mother and I, we won't survive. We need this."  
"So you come running to the enemy? I'm suddenly the answer?"  
"Cal, no. Yes, there was a time I liked you. You're a good man. That's why I'm agreeing to this." She lied. Cal suppressed a smile. Truth be told, he still wanted to get married to Rose. It would be an embarrassment to just cancel the whole event. But he wanted assurance first. It doesn't matter anymore to him if she loved him or not, she would learn to. But she wouldn't learn if someone was still in her heart. "That's something new to hear." He grinned. "Sometimes do you wish Dawson could be me?"  
"No." She answered, confused. It would be just wrong if Jack were Cal.  
"Do you still love him Rose?"  
"Why are you asking me this?"  
"It's a simple question," This reminded her of a conversation she had with Jack on the ship.  
"What would you want to hear then?"  
"You know what I want but I'm asking for honesty here."  
"Well, yes then. I do." Cal's fists tightened. "But I know he's gone. He's never coming back. And I was foolish to actually believe I could live with him." It hurt her to say those painful words but she knew she had to.  
"Well." It was all Cal was able to muster.


End file.
